Paperwork

With a last nod we parted and I walked back to the cafeteria where Serena still waited, seemingly deep in thoughts. She looked up as I approached her, a hint of a smile showing up when she recognized me. "My guardian angel is back, I already presumed he had to fly elsewhere."

I couldn't help but smile myself on that comment. "May I offer my protégé a flight back to our loft?"

Her smile broadened. "I would appreciate that, this place is a little crowded for my likings."

I poured myself another coffee and we headed back to our room, on the way Serena stayed silent although I could see that she was eager to hear some news. "I wonder if she doesn't ask any questions because she presumes I cannot speak outside our room. Wouldn't surprise me at least."

We reached our room and once we were in Serena's curiousness broke through. "So tell me what's up? Do you have a task to do? Can I help somehow? May I…"

I interrupted the flood of questions. "Shhh, take a breath and let me explain one after the other." But first let me replace the jamming unit – just in case."

"Ok, now we're safe to speak. I shouldn't tell you about it, but as I see it, it doesn't matter as long as you don't talk about anything to others, right?"

She sat down on the bed and nodded, so I continued to explain my task and the current status. She listened carefully and visibly calmed down, whether this was due to the fact I had not to leave immediately or just that she finally got some news I couldn't make out.

"For now I have to work on the intelligence Sagrin gave me, maybe you can help me, but I have to have a look at the data first." I concluded my summary.

"Ok then, I won't disturb you, but I would appreciate if you'd find something to do for me, another day of waiting will drive me nuts." She looked at me with these bright midnight blue eyes and I could see the fear mingling at the corners betraying her otherwise calm features.

"Maybe it is better to invest a few minutes here, an Asari running wild won't help me to work concentrated for a longer period of time in the same room."

I took a chair and sat down opposite to her and hesitated, unsure how to move on. "Damn, how do you calm down an Asari maiden? Should I touch her or not? Sha'lea told me once that physical contact has not the same meaning in Asari culture than it has for most other species, they prefer physical contact to express their feelings and words not only to their partners."

In that moment a gentle blue hand touched my cheek, bringing me back to reality – and besides that – confirming my memories about Asari.

"Gray? What's up? Why do you sit down and front of me only to look on the wall? I thought you have lots of work to do?"

"I'm sorry, I was taken away." With that I took her hands and looked into her eyes. "I can see the fear behind those eyes, and if I can do anything to quench it a little, I'll do it." I gently squeezed her hands. "I can understand why you are afraid, and I hope all this will be over soon. I don't know how I can help you, but if there's anything, just tell me."

Her eyes still locked to mine, a warm smile appeared in her face. "You already did enough, and I can see this is not easy for you and that makes it even more precious. Maybe you can do something, but…" Her voice trailed off.

"no but, just say…" I was cut off by surprise as she suddenly stood up, using her hands which I still held to gently but firmly drag me up likewise. She let go of my hands and slung her arms around me in an embrace and buried her head between my shoulder and throat. "Just hold me for a minute, this will do." Her muffled voice was barely loud enough to hear it.

I wrapped my arms around her, not knowing what to answer on this request and how I should interpret it. "Maybe I shouldn't interpret it at all, what Sha'lea said seems to be true, physical contact is part of the Asari culture and I guess she had not much of that in the past weeks or months. And besides, this is the first time I let someone close enough to do this since…since my life ended and this hell-bent trip started." Although the close contact to a woman – or a being which almost resembled a woman's body – made me tremble as it brought back a flood of memories and pictures burnt into my mind, despite all this her embrace soothed me partially. "Maybe this little trick of her hers again."

She loosened her grip and let go, now standing in front of me, her eyes resembling care instead of fear. "Thank you Gray, this really helped. But I could feel that it wasn't as easy for you, your whole body seemed to tremble a little, I'm sorry if I aroused unpleasant memories, I shouldn't have done that. I'm really sorry." She broke eye contact and lowered her gaze to the floor.

I gently lifted her head again using my index finger. "No, don't be sorry, it's ok. It's just…the last time someone embraced me that way…it was in another life, one where I was happy and content with it…" Now I lowered my head, a knot in my throat.

She put a finger on my lips. "Shhh, it's ok, you don't have to explain, not here, not now, just know this: If you ever decide to accept your past, I'm here, I am there for you like you are there for me, even if I still don't understand what drives you to protect me. Enough for now, you have work to do, and the sooner you've done with it, the sooner we can leave all this behind."

I just nodded and turned around to activate the workstation. "This will be a nightmare, searching for a loop-hole to sneak in that very well might not exist at all."

"As I said, give me anything to do and I'll be eager to help you!"

"I know, first let me have a look what we have." I replied already a little absent as I opened the files Sagrin had sent me.

The provided material was quite good, it contained a complete blueprint including all floors of the building my target inhabited – it was smaller but quite comparable to the one we're occupied right now - along with files about guards, their change routines, manpower and other defensive systems. A lot of close-up detail pictures of my target – a batarian male - and his favourite places, clubs and restaurants gave me a first impression about his habits, although I was pretty sure he won't leave his refugee for quite a while, leaving most of the information useless. Another big part was profiles of his employees, mercs and other personnel in his service, altogether a couple of hundred pages. Realizing the full scale of my task I ushered a sigh of resignation as I always hated the paperwork most.

"Are you alright?" Serena asked in a low voice

"Yeah, I just realized how much I always hated paperwork and how much this actually is."

"Well, you know I help if I can."

"Speaking of that, maybe I actually have something to do for you. Part of this data is profiles about people of his organization or related to him, it is quite possible that the key to this is somewhere in this data, but first I have to concentrate on the building and my target itself."

"If you tell me what to look for…and I hope I don't miss something substantial…maybe it wasn't such a good idea after all." Serena's disappointment was almost tangible as she said this.

"No, if you can have a first look and highlight possibly interesting profiles this will be a big help for the beginning, I'll tell you what to look for. You can use my Omni-tool, I upload the data and you can start, ok?"

She was beaming on the prospect to help me with anything finally. "Ok? Of course this is ok, I am happy to help you, regardless what it is."

"Guess she feels guilty for being a millstone around the neck and wants to do something useful" Her eagerness upon this boring work amused me quite a bit and I couldn't keep myself from laughing. "Sorry, but you look too cute being so eager to get handed over a bunch of paperwork which would scare off a financial clerk."

She threw a pillow after me and scored a hit. "I'm just happy I can help you for once." With that she crossed her arms and tried to look angry.

"I really appreciate your eagerness to help me, and…" I managed to usher still chuckling. "And I'm sorry but you really looked cute…by the way, the latter hasn't changed a bit."

This time she couldn't help but giving up her angry pose and start laughing herself. After we both had calmed down a little she looked at me with a smirk. "Ok, you've won this time. And now, back to work, or we will end up with nothing to tell this Turian."

I handed her over my Omni-tool, the files already opened. "Here are the files, please look out for uncommon things, or also habits which we can use, for example if someone regularly uses drugs or other addicts, visits special places or establishments. Things you usually wouldn't tell your boss, but you'll keep doing it, even if its forbidden."

"I am not sure if I can detect everything, but I'll try, but you shouldn't rely on that alone." She replied, seemingly a little overstrained with the task.

"I won't but if you can sort out possible candidates I am going to take a closer look on them first, with a bit of luck I don't need to dig too deep. By the way you showed quite a bit of comprehension in the little time we spent together, I'm confident you're up to the task."

She nodded, seemingly relieved the final judgement wouldn't be her responsibility. We both concentrated on our tasks for quite some time until I realized that I nearly fell asleep in front of the screen. The day had grown old and I could feel it in every bone and muscle. "I have to come up with something, something substantial before tomorrow."

I stood up looking after Serena. "I'll go fetch myself a coffee, you need anything?

"We've got enough water supplies here, nothing for me then, except you know something that keeps me from falling asleep."

The reply made me grin. "Well, that's exactly what coffee does actually, at least to humans, I don't know if caffeine has any effect on Asari."

"Hm, as you are so fond of it, I might be tempted to try one. What do you think, would I like it?" She looked at me inquisitively, her head slightly tilted.

"I really cannot tell, if you use a little sweetener you may describe it as bittersweet, but I guess there's nothing really comparable in your culture as the plant it is made from is originated on earth."

"Anyway, I'll try one, and if I don't like it I am sure you'll jump in for me."

"Sounds like a plan, be right back!"

The cafeteria was nearly empty, I prepared two coffees and went back. "I definitively need some sleep, I'm totally wasted, not a big surprise considering the events of the day – unbelievable all this happened in-between 12 hours." My thoughts trailed back and forth on the way, eventually concluding on my little blue roommate. "I'm beginning to understand why so many of my folks are so fond of Asari, if they are this sensual in all things they do…oh hell…she needs someone to lean on and I have nothing better to do then interpret a lot more into it…and besides, I should try to focus on myself, 'got enough ghosts nagging on my sanity already…"

I reached the door to our room and opened it, Serena looked up from the Omni-tool, a warm and welcoming smile on her face. "Welcome back, I really hope this works, otherwise I'm falling asleep in an instant."

"Same to me, and anyway I won't continue for too long, the day was taxing enough by all standards, I can feel every bone and muscle." I replied returning her smile in kind and handing over her coffee. "Taste it first without any additions, if it is too bitter for your likings try to add a little sugar." I held up 2 small packages. "And be careful, it is quite hot.

She took the cup in both hands and held it below her head. "mmhhh, it definitively smells great! I could just sit here and inhale it all the time.

"Even most humans who don't like coffee like the smell of it, by the way this is a comparable old habit of my species, this plant is grown and brewed since hundreds of years." I added with confidence. "Wow, you're the cool guy, hundreds of years, that's not even the average lifetime of an Asari, quite impressing."

Her smirk confirmed my thought's. "Hundreds of years is not that much for an Asari, but anyway it is one of your oldest customs as I understood it."

"I thought exactly the same after I said it…for you the time must feel different. I cannot even imagine how it is to be a thousand years old, in your eyes I must be a little child, barely capable to leave the house alone."

The smirk turned into a smile. "Not exactly, if you were an Asari you would be right, although we consider a thirty year old not a child any more – at least physically. Usually the first century of our lives is dedicated to learning the different arts in life, this can be culture, history, religion and so on but also warfare and combat. An Asari is usually free to choose her way in life" Her gaze lowered at these last words and the smile left her face completely.

"This time sad memories got the better of you as it seems." I just stated.

She looked up again, her eyes watered slightly. "You're right, but I don't want to speak about it – something we have in common."

"And I won't question that." I made a short pause, unsure what to add, changing the topic. "I would propose to have a look at what you've found yet and then we go to sleep, I'm absolutely sure that an additional page of this data over there will drop my head to the desk immediately."

She cleared her throat. "Right, but first I try the coffee." She took a mouthful of the hot black liquid and left it in her mouth before she swallowed it. "It is…special is the only word I can think about in the moment."

I chuckled "That's the equivalent to I don't like it but I won't admit it, right?"

She looked at me in surprise. "No, that's not what I wanted to say, it is unlike everything I had before, and you are right, it's a little too bitter for my likings, but I try this – how did you call it – sugar?"

"Yes, sugar. It's a sweetener made from a plant grown on earth, but I'm pretty sure this is artificial. 'Will have the same effect though."

She sweetened her coffee and tried again, this time seemingly happier with the taste. "That's better, now I understand what you meant with bittersweet. I fear I have to deny you the second cup, you shouldn't have brought the sugar along."

"I'm glad you like it, now I can send you two fetch us two cups all the time."

"We'll talk about that again, but now let's have a look at the files, despite the coffee the fatigue is getting the better of me. Although I fear there's not much I have to share, maybe one or two candidates, I'm sorry…"

I interrupted her. "Stop it! Don't apologize for something you cannot be blamed for." And immediately regretted my harsh voice. "Now I'm sorry, you don't deserve this harsh tone."

"Now we're both sorry, great job!" She replied, but her eyes were smiling again. "Anyway let's have a look." She turned around, picked up the Omni-tool and opened the first file.

"This is my favourite. It's the stepbrother of this batarian and therefore has some rank in his organization. As the file describes it he doesn't take his duties too serious and tends to use drugs."

I checked the dossier quickly realizing that Serena had scored a potential goal. "You surprise me again, this seems to be perfect on first sight. Let me read through it."

"And here's the loop-hole! Who needs foes if he has such relatives?"

I turned my attention back to Serena, who was seemingly awaiting my judgement, half-believing that I would be disappointed. "Have a look at this paragraph, that's perfect."

After reading it she turned her gaze upon me, he eyes widened in surprise. "The profile says he is addicted to Asari and haven't had other partners since years. And why is the fact that he quite often has sex with Asari prostitutes perfect? Do you think about using me as a bait?" Now her voice trembled slightly.

I held up my hands in defence. "No, no, no, this has nothing to do with you! Let me explain it before you get mad at me!

I need to catch him outside of the headquarter. I am pretty sure his brother doesn't allow prostitutes in his building right now, so he has to go outside even if it is forbidden in the moment. Presuming that he will continue to entertain himself we should be able to set up a trap for him."

Serena visibly calmed down and released her breath, her face wearing regret now. "I'm so sorry for thinking that way about you, you certainly gave me no reason to believe this." She touched my arm, these fathomless eyes locked on mine.

I squeezed her hand to reassure her. "Given the facts you know about me this is not really surprising. By the way, the idea itself is interesting, I'll talk to Sagrin who could act as a bait.

And now let's get some sleep, I feel like been hit by a Krogan – which is partially true."